BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- The Birmingham Zoning Board of Adjustment on Thursday voted 5-0 to deny a request by Kelly and Tajuan Lewis of the WellHouse for a zoning variance to allow for communal living in the 1300 block of 14th Avenue South.

The board made its decision because of concerns the expanded home would "impair the health safety and welfare of the public," Chief Planner W. Thomas Magee wrote in an email.

The WellHouse is a nonprofit Christian ministry for women escaping prostitution and sexual exploitation. So far, they've taken in three women but wanted to expand to have as many as 10. To do so, they needed a special exception to allow for communal living and a special exception for parking from the ZBA.

Tajuan Lewis said today the home can, and will, serve six women under the current zoning. The couple will not appeal the ZBA's decision, and instead will trust that God will lead them somewhere they can serve more women, she said.

At that meeting, several people said they were against the request. They voiced concerns about the facility's staffing, security, whether the women will be drug users and the number of communal living facilities already in the neighborhood.